


Tell Me a Story

by yuki_onna_sicarius



Series: Reks and Rasler drabbles [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: I'm shockingly coherent right now, M/M, can't sleep at almost 5 AM, this is not good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-11-12 09:54:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11159478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuki_onna_sicarius/pseuds/yuki_onna_sicarius
Summary: Rasler is tired, yet can't seem to sleep, so he begs Reks to tell him a story. Reks has the best ones, after all





	Tell Me a Story

Rasler sighed heavily as he laid in the bed he and Reks shared. The other man was currently reading a paper by a small candle in the corner of the room. Another hunt petition, no doubt. Rasler looked over at him, quiet for a moment, studying the look on his partner's face.

Reks was absorbed in the paper. It was then that Rasler realized it was several pages long, much longer than the usual petition. Reks flipped the first page over, going over the notes listed. His eyebrows furrowed together, a confused look, and Rasler was suddenly intrigued, but too tired to ask at that moment. Still, as tired as he was, he couldn't seem to get to sleep.

"Tell me a story," he finally said, his voice almost demanding. Reks looked up at him, his blue eyes wide.

"I thought you were asleep," he explained. Rasler just shook his head, then waited for his story. Reks blinked his still wide eyes several times before putting the paper down, moving to the bed to lay with his partner.

"Tired, but can't sleep," Rasler replied once they were both comfortable. Reks smiled sympathetically before gently pulling Rasler down to rest his head on his shoulder.

"Did I keep you up?" he asked.

"No," Rasler replied. "I just can't seem to sleep." Reks hummed in reply. "Now, am I getting a story or not?"

"Perhaps. Behave and you will." Reks chuckled when Rasler sighed in exasperation. The Dalmascan ran his fingers through his partner's hair for a moment as he thought of a story to tell. "Once long ago, a young prince met an equally young hunter in the desert-"

"Reks," Rasler cut off.

"What?" Reks pouted. "It's a fun story."

"I hate that you keep bringing up how we met. That was embarrassing."

"It was not embarrassing, it was funny."

Rasler huffed and pulled away from Reks, who pouted at him. He laid down on his side, back facing his partner, showing he was not amused. Reks chuckled lightly, and it took all of Rasler's willpower not to turn around and kiss him. Reks' voice always sounded angelic to him, even more so while he was exhausted, and he never got tired of hearing it.

A pair of soft fingers traced a pattern across his back, causing Rasler to shiver, before moving up to stroke his hair. Equally soft lips pressed against his cheek, a peace offer of sorts. Still Rasler feigned irritation, waiting for Reks' next move.

"Long ago, when Dragons roamed this world and a lone king ruled all the land he could see, there lived a beautiful woman with an equally beautiful voice," Reks whispered in his ear, his warm breath making Rasler's hair stand on end. "It was said that her voice could move men to tears, and soldiers lined up to hear her sing just for them. They knew, deep down, that a war was coming, and so they went to visit this woman, this fair maiden with a fair voice." Fingers ghosted down his neck to his shoulder, down to his hand.

"She was a beauty, with hair as white and soft as clouds, and eyes as blue as the clear sky. And yet, her eyes that day spoke of sadness, and her song told tales of woe. The soldiers didn't understand, why was she so sad? Soon, her sad eyes filled with tears, and no matter how many men offered their sympathies, she would not stop crying. Eventually, they all left, and the woman was alone with only an old crone to keep her company. 'Cygna' the crone called, 'Why do you cry, child?' Cygna, the fair maiden, wiped away her tears and turned her eyes to the crone. 'My dear aunt' she replied, 'the man I love must go to war, and I have seen he will not return to me.' Again, she began to cry, and all the crone could do was embrace her."

Reks' loving fingers entwined themselves with Rasler's. For a moment, there was silence. They reveled, only for a moment, in the feeling of togetherness.

"The next day," Reks continued, "the soldiers went off to war. And, as she had seen in the stars, Cygna's love died in battle. When she turned her eyes to the sky that night, she saw a star,  _his_ star, flicker out of existence. She did not sing that night, or many nights after.

"The king had learned of a woman from a small town with the most beautiful voice, more beautiful than even his personal bard, he was told. Without a second thought, he sent for this woman to be brought to him. For many months, his men searched for this woman with the beautiful voice, but they could not seem to find her. Then, one of the men stumbled into the smallest village that was the farthest from the capital, and he found her. The song on her tongue was one of dread, of malice, her tale one of the evils of war. The man was floored by her beauty and amazed by her voice, but scared of the words coming from her mouth. The king forbade any and all talk that made him out to be anything other than the perfect king he believed himself to be. Her words were treason. Yet, such a beautiful woman could not be set to death, not when she had such a beautiful voice.

"He approached her cautiously and took her hand. 'Fair maiden,' he said, 'you cannot speak such words. If the king were to learn, he would have your tongue, and you would never be able to sing again.' She turned her eyes to him and replied 'I am a caged bird, sir, and a caged bird only has its voice.' Confused, he asked for an explanation, but never received one. He then informed her that the king himself wished to see her. Immediately, her face lit up like the sun. Perhaps, leaving her village could bring back the joy she once knew, the one she felt every time she laid her eyes on her beloved. Eagerly, she agreed to go with the man, and so they set out for the capital.

"When they finally arrived, the king greeted her grandly, a festival set up in her honor. At the end of the day, she sang a song of renewed happiness for all to hear. While the crowd loved the song, the king was angered by it. She spoke of lost love, taken from her during war. She spoke ill of the king. The next day, he banished her to a tower guarded by a dragon, leaving the king lonesome once more.

"The dragon, as Cygna would learn, was actually quite kind. They would speak often of their loves, and the dragon revealed she once had children. The king's hunters had slaughtered them for game, and she had just barely escaped the same fate. Cygna decided that the king was too cruel to hear her sing, and vowed never to sing to any but the dragon.

"When he had become far too lonely, the king traveled to the tower. The dragon had prepared to attack, but Cygna allowed him passage. The king entered her room and asked her hand in marriage, for you see, he was very lonely. She turned away, too angered to look at him. How dare he banish her and then ask her hand in marriage!? The audacity! 'If yo refuse,' he boomed out threateningly, 'then I will have you beheaded!' A soft, yet angry, chuckle left her lips. Then she turned back to him, her eyes dancing. 'Do you know that when we die, we become swans?' she asked. 'I want to be a swan. I want to swim in the Lake of Forever with the man you took from me. Take my head and send me to eternity.' And so the king rose from her perch and raised his sword. Cygna closed her eyes and sang four notes before the blade hit her skin, and became a swan."

Rasler's eyes were heavy now. He felt Reks squeeze his hand as his eyes fluttered closed.

"She opened her wings and flew to the Lake of Forever and lived there with her beloved as a swan, never fearing the lonely king again."

And Rasler finally slipped into sleep's embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> I know I said these are drabbles, but I couldn't help but make a callback to the first chapter


End file.
